The existing housing stock needs substantial adaptation to meet national and international carbon reduction targets. The largest proportion of housing is owner-occupied, and will require improvement works which go beyond those measures provided through incentive programmes. Therefore, the motivation of owner-occupiers to perform more substantial energy efficiency refurbishments is essential to facilitate greater action.
Our research has found that multiple factors affect motivation to refurbish in the owner-occupied housing stock. Key motivations for energy efficient refurbishment can be categorized into the broad themes of economic, social, and environmental motivations. These motivations will be affected by a wide number of interrelated internal and external factors and mediated by the emotions of the individual. Implications for future government policy and towards raising the motivation of owner-occupiers are that it should take differing internal factors and contexts into consideration.